Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

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What is Permanent Residency in Canada?

Permanent residency refers to the status given to individuals who have immigrated to Canada and are here to stay permanently.  They are not Canadian Citizens (yet) but are citizens of another country. Permanent residents are afforded most of the same benefits and privileges that Canadian citizens have. Some of these include:

Steps in Obtaining a Permanent Resident Card

Once a foreign national receives permanent residency in Canada, they should obtain their permanent resident card as well. This card is essentially a wallet-sized plastic card that includes pertinent information about the permanent resident, such as their height, eye colour, gender, etc. The card also includes the permanent resident’s photograph, signature as well as the date that they obtained their permanent residency in Canada. Obtaining a permanent resident card as a permanent resident of Canada is necessary to identify your status. Therefore, in this article, I will address the steps in obtaining a permanent resident card in Canada and other important information for permanent residents.

The Purpose of a Permanent Resident Card

It is very imperative that permanent residents of Canada obtain a permanent resident card to properly identify their status within Canada. As previously mentioned, a permanent resident card also includes specific personal information about the permanent resident. This information is extremely important especially when entering and exiting the country. If a permanent resident decides to exit the country and re-enter via a commercial vehicle, such as an airplane, train, boat or bus, they must show their permanent resident card to confirm their status in Canada before boarding. If the permanent resident does not have the permanent resident card while travelling, they will face complications trying to re-enter the country.

FAQ – Landing in Canada as a Permanent Resident

In this article, I will address a few popular questions and answers for Landing in Canada as a Permanent Resident and some important information to consider if you are applying for a Permanent Residency application. When you have finally arrived in Canada and have landed as a Permanent Resident, it may be extremely overwhelming as you are coming from a completely different country to move permanently to Canada. If you feel as though you would be eligible to apply for Permanent Residency, I suggest you read our article on “Different Ways to Obtain Permanent Residency in Canada” before reading this question and answer article. The intention of this article is meant to clarify any misunderstanding or confusion with regards to landing in Canada as a Permanent Resident.

Q: Do I automatically become a Permanent Resident of Canada the moment I receive my Canadian Permanent Residency approval?

A: This is a very important question to recognize and understand. The simple answer is no – you do not automatically become a Permanent Resident of Canada the moment you receive your Canadian Permanent Residency approval. It is important to realize that you will only become a Permanent Resident in Canada the moment you cross a Canadian port of entry with a valid passport. You must also have your valid Canadian Permanent Residency approval. Subsequently, you will receive your official landing in Canada documents for any future reference you may need.

FAQ – Permanent Resident Cards

In this article, I will address a few popular questions and answers for Permanent Resident Cards in Canada and some important information to consider when applying. The Permanent Resident Card was created to identify the permanent resident of Canada and is used as a form of travel document. If you are a permanent resident of Canada and would like to apply for a Permanent Resident card, I suggest you read our article on “The Basics of Permanent Residency in Canada” before reading this question and answer article. The intention of this article is meant to clarify any misunderstanding or confusion with regards to Permanent Resident Cards in Canada.

Q: How long does it usually take to process a PR card?

A: The processing times for PR cards fluctuate often. The best way to determine how long your PR card will take to process is by visiting the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) website which has a specific webpage for processing times of all immigration applications. For instance, during this time, specifically September of 2017, the processing times for permanent resident cards is approximately 61 days, which is about 2 months. The processing time is around the same for renewals or replacements of permanent resident cards.